>Nasrin Sotoudeh Refuses Visitation in Blindfolds and Handcuffs

Saturday December 11th, 2010 – Reza Khandan, Nasrin Sotoudeh’s husband, expressed grave concern regarding the lack of news about his wife. Khandan informed the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that for reasons that are unclear, Sotoudeh was not brought to the visitation area at Evin on Thursday when he went to visit with her.

While expressing grave concern for his wife Khandan said: “On Thursday I went to Evin prison to visit with her. Even though I was allowed in the visitation area, I nevertheless was not successful in meeting with my wife. Nasrin did not arrive despite the fact that all the other prisons with visitation rights entered the visitation area. A prison official approached me and said that Nasrin had refused visitation as a result of the security measures.”

When asked about the specifics of supposed security measures Khandan said: “The truth is, they didn’t explain to me very clearly what they meant by security measures. It looks as though they wanted to bring Mrs Sotoudeh to the visitation area blindfolded and in handcuffs and she refused visitation under such circumstances. Interestingly enough, the past two times I visited her in prison we had no such problems and I saw her without blindfolds and handcuffs. After hearing this statement, I am of course very concerned, particularly as I was unable to meet with her.”

As a result of the lack of communication channels available to find out what has exactly happened to his wife, Reza Khandan informed the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran: “I cannot say for sure why Nasrin did not show up at the visitation on Thursday and as a result I am very concerned. My last contact with her was during a telephone conversation on Monday last week when she informed me that as per her previous statements in court, she would begin a dry hunger strike for the third time in protest to her continued incarceration.”

Nasrin Sotoudeh, lawyer and human rights expert has been incarcerated in Evin’s solitary confinement ward since September and has spent more than 50 days of her incarceration on hunger strike.